3:2b Blood Sweat and Tears: Dempsey and Makepeace
by haveunotthought
Summary: Set soon after "The Burning" Dempsey and Makepeace finally get to take that Spa day, but naturally nothing goes to plan
1. Chapter 1

As Makepeace pulled into the long drive they both absorbed the grandeur of the three story red brick building

"It's a bit bigger than your place" Dempsey surmised

"Oh so you've woken then" was Harry's cool response

"Well you said today's a day to relax"

"I was hoping for a bit of convivial company"

"Just remember who won this day"

Harry bit her lip; Dempsey jumped out of the car and carried both bags in through the grand entrance "Dempsey and Makepeace" he announced

"Have you a room booked Sir?"

"We've come for the relaxing day stuff"

"The pamper day"

Dempsey winced at the term "can't you call it something a bit different?" he blew a kiss as he whispered

"The Spa Day Sir"

"Now that sounds a bit better"

"Dempsey you aren't creating havoc are you?" Makepeace came up to the reception

"Me? Now why would you think I might do that?" mocked James

"Because I know you Dempsey" Harry raised her eyebrows ever so slightly like a knowing school teacher

"This very nice lady" Dempsey winked at the receptionist "was just about to explain to me all about a Spa Day"

Sensing her cue the receptionist flipped her sleek long black hair behind her ear and down her back as she explained that their package gave them full access to the pool and all its facilities including the Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna for the morning and after lunch they could choose from a range of treatments as they hadn't prebooked anything. She passed them both a white towelling robe, some corporate flip flops and two huge towels, explaining that they could help themselves to anything else required during the day.

"I'll meet you poolside in few minutes then" Dempsey said to Makepeace as he turned left to the men's changing rooms.

Harry changed into her bikini and stood in front of the mirror to plait her hair down, it was just a practical thing she always did. As her reflection jumped back at her she cursed herself; she should have brought her black swimming costume! Good grief Dempsey was going to have a field day with her in this bikini, why the hell hadn't she thought about things before she came; she wrapped the towelling robe tightly across her.

Dempsey threw the robe and towel down, they seemed just a bit too big; a towel that wasn't cardboard and a bathrobe that didn't scratch would be good but this soft fluffy stuff was a few steps too effeminate. He chose his locker with care and pulled his swimming shorts out from his holdall; only he couldn't – they weren't there! He tossed out spare underwear, a 't' shirt, shorts, toiletries but no swim wear. "Damn"

He wandered back to the lady with the sleek long black hair "Uh hh" he coughed

"Ah Mr Dempsey"

"I wonder if… I've got a bit of a predicament….."

"We're here to help Sir" she smiled reassuringly

"I seem to have forgotten my swim shorts…."

"No problem Sir" she smiled broadly and Dempsey warmed to it "Just over there – we sell Speedos, in black or red"

"Speedos" Dempsey echoed back guardedly "Haven't you got any proper trunks?"

The girl looked confused "they are proper"

"But they're… small"

"They go up to 42 waist Sir but you wouldn't need any that large" she tipped her eyes down as she spoke

"It wasn't the waist size I meant"

The girl missed his point "We sell them all the time"

"Well you see some men have…. are…" Dempsey stopped and rubbed his hand through his hair "I guess I've got no choice"

"Read or black?" the girl went over to make the selection for him

"Black, 32"

"I'm sorry sir we only have 32 in red"

By the time Dempsey made it poolside Makepeace had casually hung around, wandered the length of the pool twice, checked on the sauna and steam rooms and finished drinking one glass of water.

"You took your time"

"Well I had a slight problem. Why are you still in your robe thing?"

"Why are you wearing yours?"

"I need cover, why are you still wearing yours?"

"I didn't want to get cold - I didn't know I was going to have to wait for eternity"

"Well I'm here now "

Makepeace cocked her head "why not just put your robe on that chair and get in?" She asked

"And why don't you bag the chair next to mine and dump all your gear on that?" countered Dempsey defensively

"Until you put your stuff down I can't put mine next to yours"

"That's being pedantic"

"For god's sake Dempsey I've stood here like a lemon waiting for you - just sort your stuff out and we can start our swim"

"We'll do lengths? Yes?" Dempsey checked without making any move to disrobe

"Lengths is fine by me" Harry put her hands on her hips "Dempsey we're only here for the day so do you think you could get a move on"

"Ladies before Gentlemen"

"Yes but as there are no gentlemen here…"

"What is your problem"

"I haven't got one! Yours?"

"Me neither"

"Fine, on the count of three – together then"

"Agreed"

Dempsey counted, and just four seconds later there was a splash as both dived into the water.

Four lengths later Dempsey stopped and just a few seconds later Harry stopped by him and caught her breath. "Oh that was fast" she admitted "what about a bit of breast stroke"

The leering look that glinted forth told Harry that Dempsey was about to come out with some lewd comment about stroking breasts and so she turned and swam off. Dempsey watched her go; at first he just watched her legs kicking back but as she swam away from him he suddenly woke up to the idea that he wanted to admire her body. How come he hadn't contemplated that before now he mused…. it was just this returning to life and shaking off Johnny Lupino was not exactly a walk in the park.

He saw Harry reach the far end of the pool, he waited for her return. Once she was two thirds of the way up he bombed below the surface, opening his eyes to watch her approach; his grin grew until his mouth opened, the gulp of chlorinated water sent him back to the surface spluttering. Makepeace looked at him in despair and, turning, started another length. Dempsey set off after her still using the faster front crawl and so arrived at the other end just ahead. He grinned and Harry groaned. "Twenty lengths" she said as she turned

Dempsey took off next to Harry, swimming at her speed with her stroke "I thought we came to relax" he protested as he swam alongside.

"We did"

"So why don't you stop"

"That won't help me relax"

"And twenty lengths will"

"Yes it clears the mind"

They both stopped at the far end "Breathe in sunshine, love or something nice as you swim and breath out all the stress and worries" Makepeace instructed him, "breath in the stillness, breath out the turbulence"

"Breathe in and breath out" Dempsey repeated

"Simple" Harry confirmed as once again she stuck forth and Dempsey accompanied her.

Twice on the next length Dempsey started to talk but Makepeace cut him off "Breath in, breath out" she instructed him and for the next dozen or so lengths he did just that; he found himself feeling much calmer, but he did still feel so dog tired.

Harry stopped and smiled "sorry you were going to say?" she asked leaning back on the rail that ran the border of the pool.

His sardonic comment about patenting breathing in and out as new thing to keep the human race alive was no longer apt and so Dempsey glanced around, taking in the opulence of the high ceiling, the rolling green lawns visible through the huge glass panelled wall "it looks good" he commented. He noticed Harry's slightly sceptical look, he also noted how the curves of her breasts were supported by her bikini; his gaze had rested too long he knew "I mean the grass and the ceiling" he stuttered pulling his eyes upwards, but they only became caught by Harry's knowing look of disapproval.

"You look good Harry, I mean your bikini looks good, I mean you look good in your costume" He splashed his face with water to cover his discomfort.

The whole thing just made Harry smile "Jacuzzi" she announced and Dempsey was left with an awful decision to make: how to get from the pool to the tub.

"I don't really like hot tubs" he announced

"O come on, all those jets of water, they'll invigorate you"

"It's like sitting in someone else's bath"

"I thought you wanted to share mine Lieutenant"

"Not with an audience and not with germs from a load of people I don't know"

"Germs?"

"Well look there's men there, I don't know them…"

"Dempsey the water is chlorinated and it circulates round – just like this pool, look the attendant is taking samples now – they check it all the time" She sighed and tried again "Come on – today you have to try everything" and with that swam to the side and climbed out of the pool.

The sight of Harry's curvaceous body – the ties in blue of the halter neck and the brown and blue band across her back and then the nothingness again until her hips and the bikini bottom again with ties at the sides, striped in browns and blues revealing a fantastic curve of each cheek - sucked him out of the pool and absolutely anywhere that Harry went he was sure to go.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry slipped into the hot tub and positioned herself so that she could feel the jets of water invigorating the small of her back. She sighed and relaxed leaning back, supporting herself by her outstretched arms and momentarily closed her eyes.

Had Dempsey followed her he would have reached safety outside of her gaze however in his panic he lost his opportunity; His eyes were certainly enjoying the spectre of a beautiful body, hips swaying below the tiny waist, even her shoulder blades defined themselves so perfectly…..he suspected she may notice his pleasure and consequently as Makepeace climbed into the Jacuzzi he dived towards the men's changing rooms and checked the arrangement inside the red speedos.

The huge mirrors only ran down to the level of the hand basins and he stood back

"Well it ain't as big as Linford Christies' but that's nothing to be ashamed of mate" a random male guest commented as he returned from the pool area.

Dempsey gulped, he had checked the place was empty just a few seconds ago "To be honest" he found himself replying "I was worried that too much might show"

"The women, they like a well filled lunchbox"

Dempsey looked back in the mirror, he still thought the outline of certain parts showed a bit too much but wasn't ready for any more discussion with a total stranger; so now being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea he turned towards the Jacuzzi.

The two oversized bankers were wide eyed as they absorbed the apparition that had placed itself in front of them. "Well it seems she's alone" the balder of the two mouthed to the other and then addressed Harry "I'm Martin and this is Raymond"

Harry was forced to open her eyes and sit upright; she noted two things: Dempsey wasn't there which was annoying but even worse: there were two beer bellies ogling her.

"Harriet" she replied politely and coldly hoping to send a message of discouragement but the weak smile she felt obliged to give gave two desperate men all the encouragement they needed.

"You're here alone?" Raymond checked

"Well at the moment"

"Are you staying?"

"No, just for a pamper day" Harry felt obliged to make polite conversation, she hoped for an out soon.

"Well a beautiful lady like you most certainly needs to be pampered" the sugary syrup from the slimy belly called Raymond repulsed Harry and she realised with horror that he had shifted to his left. She checked for the double onslaught but thankfully the belly called Martin had seemed to have stayed put.

"I work in the city" Raymond started to set his cap forth "and pop down here for a break whenever the pressure builds; a few hours spent here is so much better than a night's sleep even if it is in Threadneedles Hotel"

"And of course if it's a million dollar deal, or above…" Martin paused for effect "they can still reach us on our mobile phones"

"Well I've come to get away from it all" Makepeace announced with an attempt to close the conversation "and I most certainly wouldn't want any interruptions to ruin my day" As she spoke her own eyes widened; Dempsey was walking towards the Jacuzzi in a pair of red speedos! It was a good job she had just finished her sentence as the sight rendered her speechless.

She watched him move quickly, he didn't bother with the steps, just using his arm to launch himself from outside to inside causing enough splash to send all three occupants reeling backwards.

His relief for having made it back under water and not wishing to draw any attention to himself kept Dempsey quiet for a good few minutes. The bankers took his silence, together with his entrance as antisocial and decided that he was a jumped up twat and after giving the lady five minutes peace started again.

"I bet you're a good rider" Raymond began

"Sorry are you talking to me?" Harry feigned innocence but she knew her solitude had ended

"Horse riding"

"I hunt" inwardly Harry cursed herself, she should have kept her mouth shut

"I thought you would, you're a proper lady then"

"I'm not at all sure that hunting makes anybody anything"

"Well it tells me that you like horses and I can get tickets for the best boxes at Cheltenham"

"I usually watch from Club" was her sardonic reply

"Gold Cup and all that" Raymond explained

"Yes" Makepeace knew, but obviously Raymond didn't know all there was to know about Cheltenham Racecourse

"I could get us into an enclosure" Raymond offered still overtly smarming

"You could pay your way into Tattersalls, I can walk into Club" Harry clipped

Raymond completely missed the putdown "Maybe we could go together"

"Thank you for the offer but …"

"… the lady's not interested" Dempsey jumped in. Now he finally noted two middle aged men, thinning hair, one with a moustache, both seemed to have small eyes set in round faces and one was moving ever closer to Harry. He thought about the germs and contemplated getting out but that in itself was a hurdle he wasn't ready to face yet and he most certainly wasn't about to leave Harry here with two leering overweight monkeys.

Harry too had noted the progress of Raymond and started to slip surreptitiously towards Dempsey. Martin kicked his companion in an attempt to stop him making a bigger fool of himself; Raymond just glared and shifted a little further left.

Dempsey addressed Makepeace "remind me which horse won the gold cup last year"

"Dawn run" she answered

"Forgive and forget was the one I put my money on" Dempsey tilted his head and did one of his half smiles

"Well it's a good sentiment even if it wasn't such a good horse" Harry ran her tongue around her lower lip

"Tell me do you forgive and forget?" Dempey's face tipped left and then right but he held her gaze

"I seem to have a lot of practise at forgiving" Harry bit her lower lip and winked

"You don't seem too good at the forgetting" Dempsey grinned back

"Good grief he isn't taking the hint!" Harry felt the ever closer proximity of the gross belly gaining on her and diverted the topic of conversation

"Well maybe we'll have to make it louder and clearer" Dempsey advised as he skirted right and wrapped his arm around Makepeace. Harry slid left into Dempsey's clutch, both looked away from Raymond fearful of his response and then Dempsey glanced right to check the monkeys progress had finally halted. He would have felt like the cat who'd got the cream but Harry was wriggling uncomfortably. "I think we'll have to hold position for a bit longer princess" he advised "else monkey man might just try the same thing"

Harry was nestled up against Dempsey, her right hand rested on same level of seating she was sitting on but her left hand, and where to let it rest, was nightmarish problem. She couldn't let it rest naturally – that would place her hand exactly over the centre of the red speedos, to cross her arm in front of her own body was almost as uncomfortable thus she was wriggling in order to release her arm behind Dempsey but he was holding her so tightly not even the water could flow between them.

"Dempsey my arm is trapped" Harry panted

Dempsey noted her left arm waving around in front of him but although confused he relaxed his hold and Harry ducked away causing Martin to smile at the 'upstarts' ill fortune. His grin was soon wiped off his face as Harry slipping her left arm behind Dempsey shuffled back against him who in turn wrapped his right arm back around her.

"I'm surprised you can remember betting on a horse race that long ago" Makepeace mused

"It's the first time I took your advice on bet" Dempsey admitted "I stuck a hundred quid on it"

"Ouch"

"It's also the last time I took your advice on a bet" he grinned "never the less forgive and forget hey sergeant?"

"So what's the most you've ever lost?" Harry asked

"Now that's not a nice question to ask; you should only ask how much a man's won"

"So what's the most you've won Dempsey?"

"On the horses? Or cards?"

"On anything" she paused before continuing "and you've gone home with the winnings"

"A few grand"

"A few?"

"Well about two grand" he reflected honestly then sensing the sting of disbelief rooted within the question he added "I am good you know"

"So you keep on telling me" she caught his eye by mistake and so looked down which was more of a misfortune because her eyes were now positioned on the red speedos. Aware that Dempsey had dipped his eyes also and unsure of where to look next Makepeace kept her eyes down until she squeezed them shut, tightened her whole face and burst out laughing. They chatted on; Harry specifically about Cheltenham and Dempsey more generally about betting. It was just comfortable chit chat and they sat for almost another quarter of an hour comfortably unaware that they were still in one another's hold.

It was the arrival of more people in the Jacuzzi that awoke their awareness to the departure of Martin and Raymond. "When did the two bellies go?" asked Harry

"The who?"

"You know the fat creeps that you rescued me from"

Dempsey shrugged, he had no idea

Harry looked at fingers "shrivelled like a prune" she observed "time to be moving on".

Dempsey had already planned this one – he had decided he'd rather have Harry see the back of him than the front so he led the way. As he jumped over the steps onto the floor Dempsey glanced down to check himself and had a silent apoplectic fit: Harry's finger tips might be like prunes but his balls weren't supposed to be – he had suffered some serious shrinkage! He lurched forward and grabbing his robe threw it over his shoulders before slipping his arms in closing the front.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry's neat body daintily mounted and then descended the access steps from the Jacuzzi. She was a little bemused by Dempsey's actions "You're not leaving already?" she checked

"Oh…. Ummm probably not…. I just thought I'd….." he refrained from saying 'cover up' trying to avoid drawing any attention to himself. His thought processes were also becoming distracted by the view of Makepeace drinking from a bottle of water just feet in front of him. His eyes couldn't settle as they flitted from top to bottom and back, alighting briefly on a curve of breast, the flatness of her belly or the slenderness of her legs – every part of her was breathtaking.

"Maybe we could try the sauna" Dempsey suggested "Only I'm beginning to get a bit of sweat up…"

"Sure" Harry picked up her towel and walked onwards, sensing that Dempsey hadn't moved she turned back "I thought you wanted to get all hot and bothered"

"I am" Dempsey waited for Harry to turn back and as soon as her gaze was off him he threw off the robe and wrapped his towel around his waist and whistled as he followed.

Harry had settled herself at mid height on the wooden slats in a corner with her back against the wooden wall and her legs stretched outwards but her feet were drawn in forcing her knees to bend. Dempsey sat down just inside the door with his feet placed squarely on the floor looking directly at Harry's legs. It was as if her thigh draped left from the pivot of her knee and her calf draped right; the long subtle curves were mesmerizing.

"Ladle some more water onto the stones" suggested Harry

Dempsey didn't move, he didn't even blink

"Dempsey" Harry called "We need to get hotter"

Still he didn't react. Harry groaned and jumped down; that caused Dempsey to react "Hey" he protested "I'm feeling quite hot already"

"You were staring at me" she accused

"We could…" Dempsey twitched his brow

"…Let's not" wisely Harry strangled his suggestion before he had time to air it; she ladled the water on the coals and the hiss sizzled, she repeated the process once more and returned to her corner but this time her legs stretched out flat on the wooden slats. Dempsey shifted himself onto a higher level and sat down just to Harry's right

"There's plenty of room" Harry protested

"Yeh but I want to see the beads of sweat on your skin Makepeace"

"Women glow, they don't sweat" Harry picked up her towel and rubbed her face, neck and arms down

"You wanna do that to me too?" Dempsey put on his dark sultry voice

"You've got your own towel, you're sitting on it" Harry made a mock smile

"Well it's needed there" Dempsey went defensive again

"Oh yes Dempsey I meant to say about the swimwear" her eyes lit up with relish

"You've not seen anything have you?" the panic evident in his voice

"Chance would be a fine thing" Harry challenged her eyes widening further as she teased him

"I don't intend to give you any" Dempsey sulked

"Why? You're not ashamed are you Dempsey" Harry was enjoying his obvious discomfort and she prepared to milk it for all she could get

"Ashamed! Why would I be?" he defended

"You tell me? I assumed you wanted to show everything off…"

"Not to the world and his wife…" he protested

"No just the wife" Harry surmised

"I forgot my regular swim trunks that's all – and this place only sells bloody red knickers"

"Well they say 'if you've got it flaunt it'" Harry was rather enjoying herself now and she wondered how far she could go

"Some men have… well they don't need to show off" Dempsey bit his lip

"And you Dempsey? You're not ashamed of your assets are you?" Harry taunted

"How many times have you turned my offers down Sergeant?" he gave her one of those famous knowing looks

"Countless Lieutenant"

"Well then you'll never know"

"I'm really not bothered"

Dempsey picked up her towel and dried his own face

"Hey" Harry grabbed it back in protest and turning it inside out and upside down she rubbed herself down again

"I could make you a whole lot hotter" Dempsey offered snatching the towel from her and rubbing her upper arm "In fact things could get quite steamy"

Light heartedly and grinning wildly Harry pushed Dempsey away as she seized back her towel

"Come on Harry, at least let me rub down" he pleaded

"Dempsey use your own - you've got to remove it in a moment anyway"

"Why?" he protested

"You need a cold shower" she remonstrated

"How do you know – you said you can't see anything?"

Harry couldn't help but smile again "Dempsey just give your libido a rest – hot sauna, cold shower, hot sauna, cold shower – you've heard of the regime before….."

"Don't you go looking…"

"Good grief Dempsey I'm a married woman"

"Not any more"

"I mean I've seen it all before" she drew her knees up again and lent forward just a little knowing she would command Dempsey's gaze. Once she could feel the depth of his stare she turned to him "And what's good enough for you is good enough for me" and she tugged at the wrap of his towel.

The play fight that ensued brought their near naked bodies skin on skin. As they slid along the bench Harry almost slipped but rather than fall down she fell onto Dempsey; in turn he had extracted himself and hopped up onto the top row of benches. Harry had thrown both towels across the sauna room but her attempts to stop Dempsey reaching them first mainly involved placing herself as a block and when he jumped down and dived past she launched herself onto his back. Dempsey swung her around and into his clasp; the flush that rose over Harry was hidden by the pinkness of her skin generated by the hot coals, and shrinkage was no longer the concern of Dempsey.

The door to the sauna opened and the ambient heat wasn't the only heat to escape as three middle aged women entered.

Makepeace pushed Dempsey ahead of her through the door "cold shower" she commanded

The cold shower was in the form of a traditional bucket of ice cold water will a pull rope to unleash the contents in one huge surge of torture.

Makepeace shoved Dempsey central and looked up at the bucket and back to his eyes daring him to chicken out. "Men don't do well in cold showers" he protested

"Dempsey I really don't care – it's about the process, the detox and then the revitalising, hot then cold" Harry's brief glance downward made her smile though. She looked him straight in the eye; Dempsey stared back in defiance and then pulled the rope. He couldn't contain the gasp as the cold water tightened every pore and constricted every blood vessel; he knew the result.

The bucket had already righted itself and was refilled by the time he had manhandled Harry inline for the onslaught. She drew a deep breath and held Dempsey's eye as she psyched herself up but the yelp still came forth. Dempsey was already on the road to recovery before he noted the well known effect ice cold water had on certain parts of a woman's body; as Harry raised her arms and brushed the water back off her face Dempsey grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"Boy" he gasped "I think I'll have to get back under there – how comes the same bucket of ice can make a guy look totally disinterested and a girl the hottest thing out?"

"Let me reassure you its all fake"

"Looks real enough to me"

Harry crossed her arms, once she had caught Dempsey's gaze she glanced down and then back up "Hmm let's try the steam room"


	4. Chapter 4

After lunch, which Dempsey had gratefully discovered was more than a lettuce leaf, Makepeace had insisted that they both had some treatments. Dempsey had been more interested in getting outside but it seemed that didn't come within the inclusion of a pamper day, a term he still recoiled at.

She had chosen the facials to much disgust and alarm from Dempsey who had reminded her 'that he was a real man'. She had pointed out that he had spent all morning 'trying to hide his manhood' and thus she 'really couldn't comment' before she continued "Dempsey you lived in a room of squalor and grime for over seven weeks it will take more than one sauna and one facial to rid your body of that den of impurity"

"How do you know what room was like"

"I came to visit you… I had to scrub myself in a long hot bath after that"

Dempsey was about to challenge her about only seeing the outside when he remembered her night visit, the yellow zipper top revealing everything of interest "Well I needed a cold shower after that" he grinned "I seem to remember you looked rather keen"

"I seem to remember that you had started a love affair with Myra Conrad and expected her to turn up any minute….Tell me Dempsey you really didn't think a class act like Myra would turn up for a quick one in a rat infested bedsit?"

"Well you never know when you might get lucky"

"Huh, at least Myra was lucky enough to escape your clutches"

Dempsey coughed and suddenly Harry was not so sure "She did… didn't she?" she questioned

"Well not everyone thinks the same way as you Harry" Dempsey teased ambiguously

Harry rolled her eyes in outward disgust and some deeply hidden disappointment.

Half an hour after the girl had started to prod, pummel and ease his face into shape Dempsey was feeling much more positive about the experience. The smell of the final oils and creams were a bit girly he thought but overall he felt better, cleaner and he could no longer smell the cigarette smoke that had attached itself to him – he was looking forward to a decent cigar; he thought he might well call in Fortnum and Mason and treat himself to some Cuban ones.

They say out on the sofas in the treatment reception area reading the company brochure. With the offer of more spring water – 'sparkling or still Sir?' Dempsey lodged a complaint; to him if you were on a pamper day 'they should be offering a fine single malt.'

He had flatly refused any treatment with an ambiguous sounding name and in the end chose the premier massage for himself and Harry. Thus they both lay on their fronts with the masseur working from the nape of their neck downwards.

Dempsey turned his head to the side facing Harry. He felt the masseurs strong firm movements rotate out from his shoulder blades, at times her knuckles seemed to run the length of his spine, at others her hands followed the line of ribs round to his chest.

"Makepeace" he called across "Are you topless?"

"It's a proper massage Dempsey"

"That doesn't tell me anything" he complained

"Well what do you think Dempsey?" she knew he knew

"I think that any time you want a proper massage I'll give you one"

"No way and no thank you Dempsey"

"I was just offering" he protested

"Dempsey: one you would never keep your hands in the right places and two you're not good enough"

"You don't know that Harry"

"Well I'm not about to test the theory"

"I have a reputation…"

"Exactly"

The two working masseurs looked at each other and grinned; they kept on working and silence fell.

Harry looked at Dempsey, his sleep looked haunted but at least he was well gone. She had been surprised by his lunch time admission that he wasn't sleeping much, that was really unexpected and she found it quite touching that he actually confided in her.

She had persuaded the masseur to let him sleep on and had slipped out to the reception with the intent of booking a couple of rooms; whether they were due back in the office or not she would make sure Dempsey stayed until he had recovered to some semblance of normality. To her horror Harry was informed the resort had been invaded by a fitness camp involving an inordinate number of guests. The only option was for a 'double room, double bed - all the twin rooms were fully booked.'

"Fine I'll pay for two double rooms" Harry grimaced slightly and took out her credit card. The receptionist scanned the booking log and then looked up apologetically "You can have two rooms from Monday onwards but tonight and Sunday night we only have one room available."

Makepeace sighed, she contemplated her options but realistically there were none, not if she were to ensure Dempsey actually stayed here. This bed sharing, she thought, was becoming a habit!

"Umm" the receptionist paused again "it's a premier room" she ventured

"Good" was Harry's response, at least it would be a decent room

"I'll take the room for the two days" she decided to play the thing by ear

Back in the treatment room Harry filled her time with some reflexology. She finally unwound letting the girl stimulate, bend and invigorate her feet; as she did so her attention remained fixed across the room and on her sleeping partner. Twenty five minutes later a therapist approached Harry

"I'm sorry but we need the table now"

"Of course" Harry acknowledged "Thank you anyway, umm…" she winced slightly "um would you mind if you did the honours?"

Dempsey felt dazed and confused, unsure as to where he was, his eyes searched out for the damp dark room that had been his for two months, his alertness waiting for trouble but he wasn't there and he couldn't remember where he was. He looked at the woman dressed in white and the tall marble pillars; he briefly considered if this was heaven but remembering he never deserved to get there and still feeling lost shook he his head hoping for enlightenment from some where, it finally came as Harry walked across to him

"You got to sleep finally" she told him

"Not for long enough" he admitted

She reached out and touched his shoulder, rubbing her hand gently across it

"I've booked a room" she said carefully "and I want you to sleep with me"

He looked dumbfounded "Harry you don't mean that really do you?"

Harry grinned "Sleep Dempsey, I think you need more sleep and I'm gonna make sure you get it"

"Yes Mamam" he looked at her sheepishly "I think that sounds good" Feeling a bit uncertain he tightened his huge white fluffy robe around his waist and followed the sight of Makepeace similarly dressed as she exited the treatment area and made her way to the lift.

As they padded along the corridor reading off the room numbers Harry was very careful to explain that the reason for the one room and double bed was due 'purely to logistics' and it being 'the one and only room available.'

"Well funnily enough Makepeace I believe you" Dempsey said "but I kinda think I might be the only person on earth who does"

"It's only you that matters" Harry reassured him

Dempsey thought she may change her mind about that later but he had already learnt there were times and places of when and when not to say things, and this was one of those 'when not' moments.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry opened the door and walked straight across to the window. The room looked out across the huge lawns; the sun was already dipping below the tree line but the room was warm. She glanced around and habitually picked up an apple out of the fruit bowl and took a bite.

"Is there a mini bar?" Dempsey asked

"If there is it won't have anything you'll like" Harry scanned the room and spotted bottled water and two chewy cereal bars

Dempsey threw himself backwards onto the bed and then shuffled himself slightly more upright as he brought his shoulders above the pillows and observed Harry from his semi reclined position.

"You're right – it's actually quite a good place" he admitted

"Dempsey if you never intended to use the pamper day why the hell did you bid for it?"

"It was a counter bid"

"Do you hate me that much?"

"Obviously not …. Well not all the time" he grinned hopefully

Harry decided to sit in a chair and read her book; Dempsey watched her as she settled herself and turned to the correct page "I remember you said you were hoping for convivial company"

"And I've had some thank you; now you can go to sleep and I'll read my book"

Dempsey lay back on the bed, his legs splayed out so he covered some 85% of the bed. His legs, from knees downwards, stuck out of the bottom of the towelling robe and although he was feeling much more comfortable in his shorts than the blessed red speedos now he crossed his legs and listened to the silence of Harry reading. It didn't entertain him for long… "What book are you reading?" he asked

"Moon Tiger"

"What's it about?"

"An acidic, opinionated and impossible woman"

"Your autobiography?"

"She has an incestuous affair with her brother, another lover is killed and she has a child in an on off relationship….

"I never knew you had a brother"

"I don't…." she paused as Dempsey's implication hit home

"So no nothing like me" she insisted

"Is the sex hot?" Dempsey grinned he knew the question would annoy her

"That has nothing to do with the story" she objected

"Once again Makepeace you're not answering the question" Dempsey was enjoying his teasing and a cheeky grinned started to escape from the corner of Harry's mouth

"Well since you ask some of the scenes could be described as racy" she taunted

"I'd love a bedtime story" he dared

Harry started to read but her current page merely described Cairo

"It's not doing it for me" Dempsey admitted just one paragraph in and Harry smiled knowingly before reverting to reading in silence.

The second period of silence wasn't much longer than the first before Dempsey broke it. He turned onto his side and leaned on one elbow "Did you miss me?" he asked

"Miss you?"

"Yeh! When I was in deep cover"

"Like a headache"

"That's not nice!" Dempsey objected "I missed you Makepeace"

"Sure you did"

"I did" Dempsey protested "I even dreamt of you"

"Great sleeping with rats and you dream of me"

"Makepeace there were no rats" Harry snorted in disagreement and Dempsey continued "fleas yes, but no rats"

Harry shuddered and had a sudden inescapable urge to scratch herself and then her head started to itch and she teased at her hair "and you expect me to lie next to you?" she questioned in utter disbelief.

Silence hung in the air again; this time it was Makepeace that broke it "Six weeks without contact" she remonstrated

"I was protecting you"

"From who?" she demanded "I don't need protection Dempsey, I need respect" whilst things were flowing Harry continued "And why did you tell Myra I was a cop?"

"To keep you alive"

"So you said"

"She couldn't afford to kill a cop, otherwise you were dead meat and believe it or not I couldn't take that on my conscious"

Harry bit her lip, minded of that early morning visit when he had confessed how Joey's death still haunted him; the time when her big tough partner had bared his soul for all of ten minutes.

"Could you really have shot Coltrane?" she ventured resting her book down and looking across the room

"I thought you were dead…. That man had taken everything from me, he'd ruined and controlled years of my life…"

"If you'd shot him he would have ruined it for eternity"

Dempsey sighed; it looked so black and white from where Harry was sitting "I made a choice" he explained

"Do you regret it?"

Dempsey sat up and studied Harry in more detail; emerging from the white robe her legs were hooked over the side of the chair, she looped her hair behind her ear as she picked her book back up "Hell no" he grinned "You know I kinda like living with you"

Harry tutted at his choice of words and resumed her reading. Dempsey watched her for longer this time and it was a full five minutes or more before he slid back down the bed and closed his eyes. He contemplated again the choice he had made – life with Harry or life without Coltrane. He had no regrets. He dozed back off to sleep as he pondered what life with Harry might encompass.

Harry finished another two chapters and then stopped to study Dempsey as he slept; his face was beginning to look relaxed and she smiled. She had worried herself silly when she hadn't heard from him for six weeks and then face to face with him outside the Albert Hall she had so wanted to slap him for his abandonment of weeks combined with his loutish behaviour of the morning that had earned her a traffic caution. The only thing that had stopped her was the half of her that had recognised the exhaustion ground into his being; the half of her that had felt genuine concern; the half of her that went on to worry even more after that than before! He had certainly stopped her from sleeping well in the latter weeks; she had even woken with a nightmare a few times as the fake funeral surfaced, mixed with Myra weeping and his coffin running with rats. Her disposition towards him warmed her inner being and she was glad they had come away; so far the day had been full of the fun she had missed for the past two months.

The first thing Dempsey felt was the firm massage across his neck and then the hands kneading his back. The direction was different and he realised with a smile that the hands were from someone directly over him. He shuffled slightly and that was when he felt the weight of her sitting on his buttocks. Her hands ran down his back pulling at his waist and as she ran them back up to his neck she lent forward; the two parallel lines that traced lightly up each side of his back made his hairs stand on end. The movement once complete was repeated and the third time the pressure increased and the sensation was now obviously pleasurable to her as well as himself. Her movements changed direction and became more circular and then her whisper in his ear invited him to turn over. Still kneeling over and directly above him Makepeace leaned forward and ran her hands from his pelvis up to his shoulders creating a desire in both of their bodies; as her reach extended her body lowered again to allow skin contact and he could visualise both of their arousals. He moaned more than once 'o god yes I want more of that' he muttered dreamily

Now she was sitting upright over his pelvis and running a trail of yoghurt down in between her breasts he moaned again in delight and disbelief and leaned himself forward to trace the creamy line with his finger before his tongue delighted to clean it off her.

His movement woke him with a jolt

"Sweet dreams?" Makepeace asked from across the room where she had resumed her novel and was currently spooning passion fruit yoghurt into her mouth as she read.

Dempsey rubbed his head, and watched her open her mouth and then the empty spoon withdrawn; he closed his eyes and for two far too brief seconds his fantasy continued as he visualised his mouth approaching more yoghurt dressed areas. And then reality seared through his fantasy, his face turned scarlet at the realisation and he was left wondering what to do. It took no time to realise there was no point diving for the bathroom he couldn't do anything about anything with Harry in the room; his acute embarrassment was even more effective than the bucket of iced water had been earlier; he coughed.

Makepeace seemingly unaware of his predicament and engrossed in her chapter took two slow lingering spoonfuls of her creamy white dessert. Finally she turned back to him, he was still looking sheepish

"So were you dreaming of me?"

He couldn't answer!!! "Where did you get that from?" he enquired instead

"I went down to dinner but the two beer bellies spotted me and so I brought some food back here"

"Did you get me any?" Dempsey's stomach gurgled in anticipation

"On the bedside table"

Dempsey looked at a plate of salad; he lifted the various leaves and picked at the cheese cubes, olives and on piece of tomato before asking if she brought more than one yoghurt

"It was a couple of hours ago" she pointed out taking his distain as relating to limpness of the salad rather than the lack of substantive ingredients. She tossed him his yoghurt pot and he turned it in his hand a few times as he formed his words

"I was dreaming Makepeace…. Do you…."

"No" she interrupted

"You don't know the question" he protested

"But I do know the answer and it is most definitely NO"

Dempsey returned to picking at the olives and feta cheese and in desperation ate some of the baby spinach. Harry tossed him a spoon and as he ate the yoghurt and drank the bottled water he started to grin at the plan formulating in his mind.


	6. Chapter 6

"Come on Makepeace, where's your sense of adventure?"  
Harry sat stubbornly looking at the page of her book, she wasn't reading it and she knew Dempsey knew  
"The night's young" he mooted  
"It's gone 11" Harry objected  
"Like I said"  
"I'm not stopping you" Harry remonstrated  
"I'd appreciate the company" Dempsey was beginning to verge on pleading; he looked at Harry and sighed "For weeks I've trailed the bars, played pool, dealt countless hands of poker in back rooms but always on the look out, always wondering… "  
Harry cut in "Well I'm sure Myra filled your lonely nights"  
"I think we shared some reciprocal comfort" he conceded  
"I don't need to know" Harry baulked "about your love affairs"  
"I never had one"  
"You were keen to get me out" Harry still felt miffed

"She missed the big apple, we shared some good memories" Dempsey  
defended  
"But you pulled her" Makepeace continued  
"I see now that she played me better than I played her" this was a fact that Dempsey was not proud of  
"I thought you and her…"  
"Turns out we both play subterfuge and that bastard Coltrane played up both" Dempsey sulked as the hatred seeped through his words  
"So you didn't have a love affair with her" Makepeace confirmed  
"She played me, but she never had no love affair" Dempsey was wondering why Harry didn't believe him, it was becoming frustrating  
"So you never actually…." Harry  
touched her nose with the back of her thumb as she broke off from saying the words  
"Why would I want to do that?" Dempsey was well and truly mystified  
"To get close to her" Harry remembered delivering those words; it had been a surprisingly painful moment  
"Hell I can only work on one woman at a time!" Dempsey pronounced.  
Harry briefly considered what he meant by that; she hid her musing by staring back at the same page of her book.

James studied her and then tried again "Come on Harry – you said you cared about me…."  
Harry smiled "…. I care that you've been dog tired, I bloody care that you need a break and we're sitting here as a testimony to the fact"  
"So come swimming with me" he pleaded  
"Good grief I should have shot you" Harry laughed  
Dempsey dived through his holdall and fished out his wet red speedos  
"You can't put those back on!" she protested  
"Just watch me!"  
Harry jumped down from her chair "OK" she grinned  
Dempsey stood and moved towards the bathroom. Harry followed him. Dempsey stopped in his tracks and replayed the last few phrases of conversation. He spotted the reason for her glee. "It was just a figure of speech" he held his hand out to stop her "but if you insist... "  
Harry relented with a grin and waited for Dempsey to exit the bathroom. As he did so she waved her bikini across his vision "… rinsed and dried and so much more comfortable to put on" she announced triumphantly and slipped past him. Dempsey raised a brow, it seemed he'd won.

Makepeace amazed herself by following Dempsey out of the room. As she trailed after him down the corridor she hissed that 'this was one of the best Spas in London and she didn't want to be thrown out.'  
Dempsey slowed until she came level "Well they'd hardly throw us out then would they? – Bad publicity and all that"  
"Dempsey I have a reputation" Makepeace protested  
"So what?"  
"I want to keep it"

Still dumbfounded by her own  
stupidity Harry actually led Dempsey left then right and into the pool area. The door barred Harry's entrance and Dempsey took over; just moments later his "da daaa" drew a resigned sigh from Harry "Just how misspent was your youth Dempsey?" she asked rhetorically as she glanced around ensuring there were no witnesses.  
"Makepeace we're not about to murder anyone – we're just going for a midnight swim"

The water was still and silent, although the moonlight was diffused by some cloud cover it was sufficient to see by. Makepeace tarried her reason trying to surface.  
"Come on Harry you can't complain – you're not exactly wearing your pyjamas under that robe"  
"I'm tired" she reinvented her argument  
"I'm not"  
"You've been asleep for hours"  
"You should have joined me – that's what you so carefully explained Makepeace – that you wanted to sleep with me" Dempsey taunted roguishly  
"I wanted you to get some sleep"  
"I did" Dempsey pulled her into the room and shut the door behind them. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and guided her poolside. Harry had to admit that her reason had lost the battle sometime back when she had finally given in and put her bikini back on just because it was dry and she wanted to brag.  
She tossed her robe onto a nearby chair and lifted the towel from around her neck; at the same time Dempsey slid his robe off his back and following Harry's example he threw his on the same chair. His eyes flicked up and down but never diverted from taking in every detail of her body; his appreciation showed in his ever broadening grin  
"I thought we'd come for a swim" Harry protested  
"We've come for some fun" he winked  
The mischievousness that Harry had thus far restrained finally found a crack in her armour. As Dempsey murmured approval she started her own appraisal. Her gaze travelled from his eyes to his chest, she followed his naked body downward until she stopped abruptly at the towel wrapped around his waist.  
Taking her own towel Harry used it to flick at Dempsey's shins "If you want to stare at my body I'm entitled to see yours"  
"Ouch" he objected as he was brought back into reality but made no move to remove his towel  
Harry flicked the towel across his calves "Dempsey!"  
Still he made no move, but she made ready to strike again he jumped left and then started to spar around her; she managed three more strikes before Dempsey succeeded in grabbing her right hand wrist and the free end of the towel. Harry wrestled but Dempsey was stronger, she spun around to no avail; his eyes teased her predicament and he  
bit the inside of his cheek as he smirked with a lopsided grin. The pause was brief but complete and then Harry's left hand darted forward and whipped the towel away from his waist.  
The unanticipated movement resulted in Dempsey releasing Harry's wrist and both stood armed and ready for battle. Dempsey scored his first hit as Harry, finally able to focus on the content that sat covered by the red nylon, became distracted. The towel curling around her knees brought Harry out of her brief study and back to self defence.

They parried around each other, and each time one of them scored a hit the other stepped away from their opponent and further along the poolside. In the end it was Makepeace who triumphed; her towel flicked the back of Dempsey's knee causing a reflex jerk which toppled him. As he tried to stop his fall he grabbed Harry; the double splash sounded so loud that it forced a nervous giggle from both wet participants. They waited with baited breath, pressed back against the pool side but the vaulted arena seemed to have contained the sound.  
When nobody came rushing to investigate both exhaled and both burst out laughing.  
"I won" declared Harry  
"You lost" corrected Dempsey and  
Harry looked quizzical "I pulled you in" he bragged.  
Harry rolled her eyes, they were both noticing one towel just out of reach on the poolside; both spotted the other to their right sitting at the bottom of the pool. Instantly both dived but Harry was the one who retrieved it. She held it proudly "I won"  
"Only because you were closer" Dempsey huffed  
"Have you ever lost in your life?" Harry was forced to ask  
"Never" Dempsey declared "Especially not to a woman"


	7. Chapter 7

Harry tossed the towel across the pool and both swam off and dived for it, Dempsey won, he tossed it again – Harry won  
"Best of 3" Dempsey demanded but when that failed the stakes changed, best of 5 then 7  
"Admit it Dempsey I'm good" Harry tossed the towel across the deck and out of reach and leaned back against the pool  
"Makepeace all I've ever wanted is the chance to find that out for myself" Dempsey surfaced next to her and draped himself over the pool edge.  
"What's next?" Harry asked mainly to avoid any other line Dempsey was trying to take.  
"Well" Dempsey pondered for a long moment "the moonlight's shining"  
"Through clouds" Harry pointed out  
"Still shining" Dempsey countered and as he did so he put his right arm around her waist and picked up her right hand with his left and guided her around in a tight circle "How about 'dancing in the moon light'"  
It made Harry giggle and she rested her right hand on Dempsey's shoulder and they rotated after a fashion on the spot.  
"Reminds me of the Soho Cellar" Harry reflected  
"You don't know how much better I felt spending the evening with you" Dempsey confessed and then quickly added "Butch kept standing on my toes!"

Harry smiled gently "Oh by the way I meant to tell you that Blossom was really taken by Butch, I think we may have started something there"  
"Butch scored?" Dempsey questioned without hiding his incredulity  
"It seems he invited Blossom to the ballet and no one has ever done that before"  
"Hey I taught him that" Dempsey claimed proudly, he explained to Harry that 'every girl dreams of ballet' before checking with her asking "Do you think they're suited?"  
"Who knows who's suited and who's not?"  
"What about us Makepeace are we suited?" Dempsey enquired with his ever hopeful lilt  
"We work together" Harry avoided the question  
"We could do other things together" Dempsey cocked his brow suggestively

They occupied themselves quite contentedly for the next quarter of an hour – dunking, diving, splashing and playing chase.  
Makepeace waited, pretending to catch her breath. Dempsey climbed up the steps and she noted with interest how difficult it was for the speedos to contain him. She smiled wickedly and deliberately leant back against the huge glass panel than ran upwards from the floor. The veiled moonlight lit her body form and she consciously raised her hands behind her head, her laced fingers supporting it from behind; her feet placed firmly 'at ease' were ready to launch herself back into the pool. Dempsey was being taunted and he was loving every moment of it. Back last summer when confronted with a very drunk Harry throwing herself at him he had done the right thing but right now what he had supposed would be simply a bit of midnight fun was turning into wanton lust and he had warned her that next time she might not be so lucky.  
He slowed his pace, feigning disinterest by his lack of speed he took in every curve of her body that was accentuated by the moon shadows. Harry studied the pattern of body hair; how it covered his chest and disappeared around his navel but lower again it reappeared and ran like a dark arrow down to the speedos and the content that seemed somewhat larger tonight than this morning. She watched him approach, he held his arms palm outwards but she knew there was no innocence in the gesture, good grief there was no innocence anywhere tonight!  
She timed it well and as his hand was tugging at where the bow to her bikini bottoms was Harry had dived back into the pool and was swimming front crawl to the other end.  
Dempsey was barely a body length behind her when she turned and swam under him as she made her return length of the pool. He rolled and grabbed her legs and she was momentarily stopped in her tracks. In that instant he found the bow end of the right hand side of her bikini bottoms; the sharp tug had the desired effect.  
"You're joking" she spluttered  
But he wasn't - his hands were fighting hers as he tried to find the other side, her main weapon of defence being knees and feet that seemed all too active and suddenly it was Dempsey in the position of vulnerability as Harry's fingers ran around the waist line of the red speedos. He took a huge deep breath and ducking down his sudden movement dislodged Harry and he swam remaining submerged for half the length. It took Harry two seconds to restore the bow before she pursued Dempsey. The swim chase that ensued finally ended as Dempsey hoiked himself out of the pool and lay panting on the tiles. Harry passed the wet towel before she reached Dempsey en-route to pick up her robe; as she walked past him she flicked the wet towel across his legs. Its impact was more than she had intended and produced an indignant yelp as Dempsey sat up to protest.

At the sight of the red welt Dempsey jumped up and blocked Harry's movement, denying her access to the towelling robe; his marked shin, perched up on the chairs, bearing witness to her transgression. Harry failed to display any repentance; she chided him instead for 'playing the pathetic'

"Makepeace I'm wounded" he pouted

"Rubbish, in five minutes you'll have nothing to show"

"I think it needs kissing better" he pleaded with a fake innocence

"I'm not kissing your leg better" she tried to reach across him to grab her robe but that nearly started another round of sparing and Harry thought that unwise. She stood back with her arms folded but alert to any move Dempsey might make

"You don't have to kiss my leg" Dempsey suggested, his eyes lighting up and his grin widening

"Well I'm not going to kiss your ass Lieutenant" Harry berated in mock disgust

The sound of gunshot exploded into the centre of their frisson

"Where?" demanded Spikings

"Tring" Chas repeated and noting the blank look on his bosses face added "Hertfordshire"

"What the…. Do I want to know Chas?" Spikings really didn't think he wanted to know everything for once

"It was the beauty day that Dempsey bid for at that ball"

"Beauty? Dempsey?" Spikings laughed raucously "what did he have his eyebrows done?"

Chas made no comment

"Bloody hell how long before we get there?"

"Should be there in twenty minutes Sir"

"Dempsey has been out of deep cover for just over one week" Spikings rubbed his head "one bloody week Chas and already we've got Rambo on the rampage"

The local police had given Dempsey and Makepeace a blanket each to cover themselves but it wasn't enough and Harry's teeth were chattering as she shivered continuously. The pair were sitting in the back of a squad car; although the police called to the scene had put the call through to SI10 they were not about to let their main suspects walk. Three times Harry had asked for someone to bring them some clothes but Inspector Stouton had refused; he reasoned that the more uncomfortable and vulnerable his suspects were the sooner they would break.  
Three times Dempsey had suggested that Harry shuffle up and they cuddle together for warmth but Harry was devastated enough that Spikings would find her like this let alone in the arms of Dempsey and so she sat squarely on the far side of the car to Dempsey.

"You did good" Dempsey reassured Harry

"Well Inspector Stouton seems to think otherwise"

"He's just a jumped up arsehole, wait until Spikings gets here and proves our ID"

"I'm not so sure that Stouton cares who I am, he just wants to arrest me for the shooting"

"It was an either or situation"

"Hardly" Makepeace corrected "There was only one gun"

"Either you shot him or he pulverised you – to me that's an either or"

That was exactly Harry's line of defence and she was hoping that Spikings would see it the same way.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ian Riggs claims that you shot one of his most valued clients; The officer in charge asks me why he should believe the story of two people trespassing in an out of bound area, displaying a deep lack of respect for rules and far too much of their bodies" Spikings looked from one to the other "And I m waiting for an explanation as to why" at he looked at his watch "1.57 in the morning I am standing freezing my balls off in the middle of some posh nobs beauty parlour and not back home in my bed"  
"You want to talk about freezing balls" Dempsey started "that prick..."  
"Inspector Stouton" Spikings corrected  
"Has left us sitting here... in fact if I get ill…"  
"If you get ill Dempsey then it means that you re still alive, a fact that you may consider worth celebrating"  
"Sir can we go and...." Makepeace broke in  
"Go? You re not going anywhere Sergeant"  
"If we go inside we may all get warmer" Harry pointed out "You said yourself how cold it is"  
Spikings felt the sharp wind cut across his face and acquiesced. He watched Dempsey and Makepeace walk across the lawns, the blanket each wore exposed their lower legs and bare feet "What's with the blankets?" he asked Chas  
"Inspector Stouton refused to let them dress" Chas clarified  
"Dempsey!" Spikings called  
Dempsey turned around; Spikings waved his arms outstretched, inwards and out again indicating that he wanted Dempsey to open his blanket out. Dempsey complied exposing his red speedos and naked torso for a fraction of a second whilst Spikings caught up.  
"And Sergeant Makepeace?" Spikings checked as he drew alongside  
"Well swimwear is swimwear" Dempsey mooted  
Harry had ceased her opportunity and scooted into the building and straight up to their room; she pulled on nearly all the clothes she had brought with her in an attempt to get warm and hauled a selection of clothes to take down to Dempsey. She reappeared into the treatment room commandeered by the local police and passed Dempsey the bundle.  
As grateful as he was Dempsey couldn't work out the logistics of the task in front of him. In the end he tried to hold his sweat pants in one hand, the blanket across his front in the other and hop on one leg as he tried to feed the other into the trousers with some measured success, he was surprised to find that the second leg proved more difficult than the first and the blanket slipped when he tried to hold it and pull the joggers up. The flash of red brought an unsolicited smile to Spikings face and Dempsey grumpily pulled on one t shirt over another and then a long sleeved sweat shirt. "Thanks Sergeant" Dempsey said as he stared out Inspector Stouton.

Spikings coughed and asked to speak to his team alone; Stoughton looked about to refuse but Spikings pre empted him with a suggestion that he got some hot drinks. Once alone Spikings started

"What the bloody hell were you doing in the swimming pool?" he demanded

"Swimming"

"Don't be clever with me Dempsey"

"It was just a bit of harmless fun…" Harry defended

"Harmless it wasn't Sergeant. You flaunt the rules and you take the consequences"

"The consequences were that we caught a major criminal"

"At present we have no proof of any criminal activity"

"Bollocks" Dempsey protested

Spikings took a deep breath and looking from Dempsey to Makepeace he started "Inspector Stouton has a signed statement from one Robin Gough saying that he and the deceased had no idea who was chasing them or that you were police officers, just that two people exited what they knew to be a closed area and started to attack them. Such unprovoked behaviour was naturally very frightening and accordingly they tried to run"

"That's one hell of a story" Dempsey whistled "just a pity none of it's true"

"Mr Gough and his deceased partner Martin Osbourne were both regular guests here and were well known to Ian Riggs, in fact he counted them as his personal friends" Spikings looked from Makepeace to Dempsey and back to Makepeace "Now for Christ's sake start acting professionally"

"Ok so maybe we shouldn't been using the pool" Dempsey muttered "but we were only swimming and stuff"

Spikings didn't think he wanted to know what 'stuff' constituted and let it ride; Dempsey continued "We were out of the pool and about to leave when there was a gunshot outside on the lawns"

"We both ran through the emergency exit door" Makepeace continued "Martin Osbourne had a gun pointed directly at the head of the city banker. The noise of the door opening forced Osbourne to spin round and with the gun now pointing at us Dempsey dived and took Osbourne down. As they fought Osbourne dropped the gun and I picked it up, Osbourne managed to escape from Dempsey and as he ran off I called out that I was an armed police officer and that he should freeze. He came back towards me laughing; he refused to note any warnings, Dempsey was still down and so I fired"

Stouton returned into the room along with Ian Riggs; begrudgingly he placed mugs of hot tea down onto the table. He passed the signed statement of Gough to Spikings; Dempsey snatched it.

"He had a gun to his head" he said "how do we know he didn't have another one whilst he wrote this load of drivel"

"How do I know that the gun wasn't yours" demanded Stouton

"And where do you think I could keep a gun" Dempsey questioned scathed with sarcasm

"The gun was a 22" Harry implied it was not police issue

"Mr Gough states that he watched his friend walk towards a woman in a _bikini _pointing a gun at him; he says his friends made no sign of attack"

"He had just knocked Dempsey out cold and was not stopping as requested…" Makepeace defended herself

Inspector Stouton butted in "…you had no ID, nothing for him to believe your statement, if indeed you said anything – Robin didn't hear anything"

"He's obviously petrified" Harry argued back "Osbourne must have shot up into the air to prove the gun was real and scare the shit out of him and then held said gun to his head and now he's still scared of someone coming after him!"

"Give me five minutes with him" Dempsey muttered

"He's not a suspect; he's not under arrest" Stouton reiterated

"Unlike us?" Dempsey asked sarcastically

"Robin has very kindly agreed to remain here at the Spa so that we can clarify details with him" Stouton began

"Robin" Dempsey sneered "First name terms eh?"

"I want him brought down here" Spikings demanded

Stouton rolled his eyes; Spikings was roused further, his voice measured "You are accusing my top officers Inspector – you will not deny me an opportunity to ask Mr Gough for some clarification". Spikings' challenge laid bare Inspector Stouton raised a finger and the PC left the room. The two teams stared each other out as they waited.

Robin Gough walked into the room; he was tall, slim, elegantly dressed and exuded confidence

"What the…" began Dempsey

"Where's the beer belly?" Makepeace simply asked at exactly the same time

Dempsey turned to Spikings "I ain't ever seen this guy before! "What is this – some kind of stitch up?" he made to leave

"Dempsey!" Spikings warned and Stouton smiled to see the lack of control the Superintendant had over his so called team.

Makepeace came to the rescue "This is not the man who had a gun to his head"

"How can you be sure? You were inside…" Stouton seemed never to believe anything the SI10 team said

"The gentleman we saw had a very different profile" Harry clarified

"If I'm being accused of lying then my co-operation ceases now" Robin Gough threatened.


	9. Chapter 9

With Dempsey arresting Gough 'for perverting the course of justice' the party moved to the local cop shop the waiting began, Gough wasn't going to say a word without the presence of his lawyer and so they were waiting on the arrival of Walker and King. Stouton had wanted Dempsey and Makepeace in a cell but Spikings had pulled rank. Chas and Makepeace sat dozing, Spikings was reading yesterday's paper. Dempsey slipped out; he 'borrowed' a spare uniform and waited for the car to arrive outside, thus he acquired sole access to the beer bellies. The course to the interview room was the 'long route' and took them through an unlit zone where Dempsey managed to hit on each one. Martin King he kneed in the balls leaving him curled up on the ground whilst he 'hung' Raymond Walker on a tree. He explained, with menace, that if they thought Gough was to be feared he would be worse.

"Cops are the good guys" Walker argued

"Unless they turn bad" Dempsey shoved his own face right into Walker "and those are the worst – they operate outside the law – know what I mean?"

Walker nodded and Dempsey returned to King he pulled him upright "Did that hurt?" he asked; when King murmured and nodded Dempsey continued "Oh I'm sorry – you can still talk – I obviously wasn't hard enough" he kneed him again and then pushed him up against the tree so he could threaten both at once. "When you get in there you're gonna tell it exactly as it happened because if my partner gets any blame this will be just the very beginning" Dempsey pushed them both forward "Just remember if Gough walks you will never be free"

"So let me get this straight" Spikings checked "Gough and Osbourne were using the two city bankers to broker deals out of hours and on other markets…"

"Only Walker and King couldn't deliver on their promises, their fancy phones wouldn't work up here" Chas continued

"We only saw half the scene from the pool with Osbourne and King; Gough was quick thinking and acted to protect his own back" Makepeace took up the story "Which is why he came up with such a cock and bull story"

"Well it's a good job King squealed so quickly; I thought that if Gough had put the frighteners on him…" Spikings had a moment of realisation "Where did you go Dempsey? Earlier on I mean" he asked

"Me? Just to get a bit of fresh air" Dempsey played innocence, Spikings played blind.

Dempsey's finger trailed around her neck and then from under her chin up over her cheek, she shuffled ever so slightly and he lifted his finger and then touched the tip of her nose. Harry moaned softly; Dempsey ran the back of his hand down her cheek "You're beat princess" he murmured with his eyes gazed softly over her as she slept head resting on arms on the desk as she had waited for the interviews and paperwork to clear her and Dempsey to go. It was the next move that Dempsey was unprepared for; as his knuckles caught the edge of her lips Harry turned her head and her kiss caught his mid finger knuckles; as her lips closed his fingers trailed upwards and her opening lips caught his fingertips the second time. Harry opened her eyes and jerked back in shock.

"It's been a long day Tinkerbell" Dempsey grinned at her shock "Were you dreaming about me?"

"I've told you before that you give me nightmares whilst I'm awake" Harry took a deep breath hoping that he would have no idea of the scene that had just played in her head

"But what about when you sleep" Dempsey teased

The dream was fading fast; Harry knew it had involved the pool, Dempsey and what might have happened but he didn't and never would. She turned the tables "Well now then Lieutenant you were asking for more in your dream…." And looking straight into his eyes demanded "more what?"

"More what?" echoed Dempsey

"Yes, do it again – I believe that was your plea"

Dempsey was suddenly on guard "I said that! When?" he demanded

"When you slept and I read" Harry was dancing her words around him "You seemed to be enjoying yourself" her eyes teased him mercilessly because she knew that he now knew that she knew – and that would kill him.

Ian Riggs saw the SI10 party eating breakfast; he walked directly over and shook Dempsey's hand "I just want to thank you both for you quick actions; I had no idea" he began. Dempsey didn't like to tell him that with an operation of this size and an inordinate number of guests he doubted that it was the only illegal activity "Sure, glad it all got straightened out" Dempsey stood briefly as they shook hands "It's a nice place you've got here"

"Well that's really what I came over here for" Riggs looked at Makepeace "I'd like to offer you our best suite"

Harry shifted uncomfortably aware that Spikings and Chas were also seated at the table but Riggs didn't notice, "it's got a private Jacuzzi and…" he turned back to Dempsey "a four poster bed".

The blush spread from Harry's neck upwards at an alarming rate, even the Spa manager couldn't fail to notice. Harry touched her nose then fiddled with the neck of her top "We're not…." She looked down searching for strength and cursing "...together"

"Oh excuse me" Riggs apologised "only I thought Cathy, the receptionist, said you had a double room"

Dempsey ran his tongue around the inside of his lip; he would enjoy seeing how Harry was going to extricate herself. Spikings cut his croissant in half but his actions failed to disguise his interest; Chas looked across at Dempsey wide eyed – only last week Spikings had alluded to why Dempsey might stay.

"My partner Lieutenant Dempsey…" Harry began but realising that this was far too long winded she went for the edited version "Dempsey needs rest so I said we would sleep together"

Dempsey sprung up "What the sergeant meant to explain was that there was only one room left because of your fitness camp"

Harry stood "Mr Riggs, thank you for your kind offer but… It's just that we really aren't… Look just let Dempsey use the room for a couple of days"

It was Wednesday when Dempsey rang to say he needed a lift home. Makepeace protested vehemently that she was 'not his bloody chauffeur' but Dempsey, as usual, had persuaded her. Mid afternoon Makepeace told Chas she was checking up on a couple of snouts and then calling it a day. This time she packed her one piece swimsuit and the dress she had worn to Morroco Jack's Bistro hoping to god that she wouldn't be seriously overdressed but Dempsey had said…

Harry had to smile – Dempsey seemed to own the place! As she booked in she was advised that 'Jim was waiting in the pool area'. She exchanged her clothes for another fluffy robe and donning her 'more suitable' swimsuit she made her way poolside. Dempsey was reading a paper but he grinned stupidly as Harry walked through. She noted that he had acquired some different trunks; he noted that although more of her body was covered she still looked beautiful.

"So you do play hooky!" Dempsey observed as he stood to greet her. Harry smiled "I think it's deserved" she couldn't help but smile back at his smile – he looked a different guy - relaxed, his dogged exhaustion gone and his eyes shining again.

Harry was touched, as they rested from swimming he laid out his schedule: he had arranged a massage, pedicure and manicure, even a wash and blow dry and some time in the meditation area all of which would be followed by dinner with Ian Riggs and other staff whom he wanted to thank.

As Harry rested her head on the soft towel and allowed the firm, warm hands to work over her back she felt the tension and pressure seep away, she didn't object to a trainee taking over. She could hear her masseur give some guidance; the novice worked on each leg in turn working from the toes upwards and as the two hands stretched up and around her thigh Harry mentioned that she really needed a massage everyday after work. The towel was moved downwards, once again covering her legs and revealing her back. If it meant longer with her head buried and the unwinding pushing and manipulating of some skilled hands Harry had no objection to the trainee doing more; she chose a citrus oil and the masseur was explaining how to use just the tiniest amount. The hands followed the instructions alternately working over her shoulder blades and rib line then down to the small of her back.

If Dempsey had enjoyed the sensation of his hands sliding up Harry's legs and running around her thighs the pleasure he got from her bare back and from the curve of her waist was thrilling. The one and only restraint stopping his hands from wandering forwards was the watchful eye of Jenny whom he had befriended as she had worked on him each day. Good god Harry's body was to die for and here he was hands stretching and reaching across her naked torso; his dreams would know no bounds in the coming weeks and months but as time was drawing to a close he started to worry about her reaction. Initially he had planned to show himself but now he feared things blowing up in his face; he held his finger to his lip and walked out.

Jenny wouldn't have said anything but as she painted Harry's nails she started to talk; at first it was just about skin care then about work and then she started to share how Jim had opened up about his weeks undercover. "He really seemed to miss you" she told Harry.

Makepeace was dismissive but Jenny insisted that he had lain with her working his muscles and him telling story after story about working undercover with Harry. She chuckled as she told Harry that for the first day and a half she had thought Harry was a guy but then it had all got a bit confusing when he had talked about dancing with Harry and breathing in her exotic perfume.

Harry laughed and then Jenny made the mistake, she asked Harry 'if she thought Jim was a good trainee?' Confusion reigned until Jenny explained that it had been Jim's hands massaging her body. Jenny knew instantly why Dempsey had taken the exit route he had and was rather grateful that she only had one nail left to finish.  
Harry's protest had been about 'that bloody man' 'his ego' and 'his downright cheek' Jenny noted that every muscle in Harry's body had tightened and knotted at the revelation; so much for her massage.

Makepeace passed Dempsey as she made her way to the salon; she held her silence and Dempsey decided discretion was the better part of valour. He waited for her to emerge half an hour later "Hey you're looking good" he noted but she stone walled him

"Aw come on Harry" he pleaded fruitlessly; she marched on

"Harry…" he ran after her

Harry found the meditation zone and Dempsey followed her through; it was the wrong sort of silence that filled the room. Harry watched a candle flame as it flickered, she wanted revenge and how to reap it became her meditation.  
Dempsey watched Makepeace, he could tell her mind was restless "The best thing is to empty your mind of everything" he instructed. She glared back and he winced; he had hoped that she would have moved on by now.

"Try breathing" he suggested.

"All day, every day" was her put down

"Now that ain't fair" Dempsey rounded on her "It's just the same as your swimming thing and I did that" He took several exaggerated deep breathes until the process actually began to work and he settled back.

And Harry tried but the mention of swimming had started her mind reliving the weekend. The trouble now was that every time her mind emptied it instantly filled with images of her and Dempsey and Champneys. It must have been almost a dozen times that her mind had followed the same circular pattern, each one melting a little more of the ice, when she gave up and laughed out loud. Dempsey looked at her for a clue, she shook her head "Dempsey you have the audacity of a chimpanzee"

Strangely he felt relieved; she averted her eyes "actually you were quite good"

Dinner was charming, Dempsey wearing a borrowed a DJ looked ruggedly handsome and Makepeace looked delightful. It was as Dempsey drove Harry home that he asked his question

"You wanna go to the ballet Harry?"  
"When?"  
"Ummmm" he hadn't planned on that  
"When the spring season starts" she decided for them.

_The following is a copy of a (tabloid) press article from 1986. _

Glynis runs out of puff

Glynis Barber is winning he battle to quit smoking after a spell at a luxury health farm.

The DM star checked into Champneys at Tring, Hertfordshire, with her lover and screen co-star MB to get super fit for the last few weeks of filming the new series.

The couple stayed in a £200-a-night suite which included a four poster bed and a private Jacuzzi.

And Glynis went on a strict 1,000 calories a day diet and no cigarette routine.

Guests spotted the sexy blonde going for a midnight swim in a slinky swimsuit and enjoying a poolside kiss and cuddle with Brandon.

One of the DM team said: "Glynis has virtually kicked the smoking habit. She only has the occasional cigarette now."

The couple expect to finish filming the last DM episode this weekend. The final 13 part series will be shown on ITV in the autumn.

_PS I think it will be a few weeks or so before the next story starts – daughter getting married next week!_


End file.
